Wednesday, April 20, 2016

New console releases are always exciting – especially when
it is Nintendo who’s releasing new hardware. Nintendo has proven itself to be
creative and not afraid of risks when it comes to new hardware, having
pioneered many firsts in the gaming space, such as Gameboy, Virtual Boy, Nintendo
DS, Nintendo 3DS, and Wii to name but a few. Some have been more successful
than others, but that is to be expected when you’re trying something different
from the herd.

The anticipation for Nintendo’s next platform – codenamed
“NX” – is perhaps the most exciting in Nintendo’s long history in the videogame
business – certainly for fans and pundits, at least. The NX is potentially coming
much sooner than most expected. The Wii U was launched in North America on
November 18, 2012, putting just 4 years between it and Nintendo’s new console
if 2016 marks the year for NX. For comparison; the Wii launched on November 19,
2006; putting 6 years between consoles launches. And, for further reference;
the GameCube was released on November 18, 2001: 5 years between it and the Wii.

A big factor that makes the NX intriguing is how the
performance of the Wii and Wii U may have influenced the design of the NX hardware
and the timing of its release. The approachable, family-friendly Wii sold
approximately 100 million units worldwide, whereas the unfocused Wii U has sold
approximately 12 million units to date. For reference; the GameCube sold nearly
22 million units in its lifetime and the Nintendo 64 sold nearly 33 million.

Even though Nintendo has more cash in the bank than some
small countries, they still have the need and desire to succeed. I believe
their goal is always to attract the largest audience possible to their hardware
and software. They are the only videogame hardware manufacturer in the world that
has created and successfully cultivated a large library of software brands that
are known around the world by gamers and non-gamers alike. Neither Sony nor
Microsoft come anywhere close to this achievement, despite wonderful platform
exclusives such as Halo and Uncharted.

If you were Nintendo, what would you do to ensure success
with your next console platform? You have reliable, well-known brands that
include Mario, Zelda, Pokemon, Smash Bros., Donkey Kong, Metroid, Animal
Crossing, Yoshi, Star Fox, and even relatively new brands, such as Splatoon and
Pushmo that could be considered successful in their own right. You have some
close third-party partners, such as Square-Enix, Platinum, and KOEI Tecmo who
have produced top quality titles for Nintendo platforms in recent years. What
do you do?

What do we know so far, for fact? We know the NX is
releasing sometime soon – whether it is 2016 or 2017 is TBD. We know the
specifics of the hardware is being kept a strict secret from the majority of
developers. When you consider these two facts together, this suggests the NX may
release with one or two first-party titles, and maybe a small collection of
third-party titles from close partners. We have seen this type of launch before
with numerous Nintendo platforms, with varying degrees of success.

If we wanted to stack our deck, as it were, and do
everything within our power to ensure success, wouldn’t we rely on our internal
development and close partners to ensure the first year of releases is paced
out carefully and jam-packed with dependable games that complement each other?
Yes, we would. We would not rely on the standard third-party support because,
let’s face it, it’s unreliable. Instead, we would craft a plan that we knew we could
accomplish because we were going to do it ourselves and with our close
partners.

What does this do for the player? It presents a feeling
of Christmas morning (or your relevant day of gift-receiving joy) for an entire
year! That feeling of new and awesome software releasing month after month for
6 months straight, or dare I dream, an entire calendar year!? It would generate
so much customer excitement and loyalty that the atmosphere surrounding the NX
would be undeniably infectious, and everyone within earshot would need to take
a peek to see what all the hubbub was about. It would be awesome!

However, what does this do for the third-party developers/publishers?
Well, if you’re a big player, such as Activision or EA you might dip your toe
in when/if hardware sales start to look strong, but only if it doesn’t require unique
effort outside of your multi-platform plans already put in place. On the other
hand, if you’re a small independent developer struggling to make ends meet, the
NX could offer very green pastures to frolic in. Nintendo make a certain style
of game, and even their partners often make Nintendo-style games. So, as an
indie developer you could find plenty of holes in the first-party-heavy NX
library to fill with your unique titles.

The launch window of a new platform is always a good time
to release original games. I for one am very much looking forward to learning
more about the NX. E3 2016 can’t come quick enough!